


notes on elegy 33 and the behavior of certain meerkats

by reptilianraven



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Meerkat Manor, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Wildlife Cinematographers, Depression, Epistolary, F/M, M/M, Wildlife Typical Animal Violence, scrapped title for this is: meerkat manor aint therapy but it comes pretty damn close, to be clear: in this au all the underworld characters are meerkats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28068972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reptilianraven/pseuds/reptilianraven
Summary: “I’m not supposed to be interacting with you, Zagreus,” Patroclus says sternly. “I’m to be a silent observer in the narrative of you and your clan’s lives.”Zagreus merely bumps his idiot little meerkat head against Patroclus’ camera.-Patroclus’ husband, Achilles, is away for a year on a once in a lifetime opportunity to film footage of the elusive Philippine Eagle. Bereft of his lover, Patroclus does what any depressed wildlife cinematographer would do in this situation.He says yes to filming a movie length reboot of Meerkat Manor.
Relationships: Achilles/Patroclus (Hades Video Game), Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 168





	notes on elegy 33 and the behavior of certain meerkats

**Author's Note:**

> my goal as a fic writer is to write all the aus nobody has ever thought of or wanted. 
> 
> disclaimer: im not wildlife cinematographer, so things are bound to be inaccurate. that being said, quite a lot of the meerkat behavior in this fic is inaccurate on purpose. that being said, i did do a ridiculous amount of research for this fic to keep the rest of it as right as i could. _that_ being said, i dont actually know anything about achilles and patroclus aside from what is in hades game itself KJHKJSDFS
> 
> content warnings are in the tags but i will reiterate them: this fic has depression and will have wildlife typical animal violence

_Semper in absentes felicior aestus amantes._  
_Always toward absent lovers love’s tide stronger flows._

Elegy 33 by Sextus Propertius

-

subject: How I’m Doing  
from: Achilles P. (achillespthia@gmail.com)  
to: Patroclus O. (patroclusopus@gmail.com)

Patroclus, 

First off, I would like to apologize for the late reply. Our team’s schedule, in terms of expeditions into the dense rainforest, last for a week every time we venture out into the wilderness. When we do return to our base camp, signal is erratic at best, but whoever the god of connectivity is must have felt sorry for me, and let me have this reprieve where I can speak to you, however indirect. 

As for your questions, work is going as well as it possibly can. We set out into the rainforest, we search for signs of the Philippine Eagle, and we hope for the best. Thus far, we haven’t been able to catch it, but I expected as much. They’re elusive creatures, and it’ll take more than one month for us to be graced with its presence. I don’t feel hopeless, though. In fact, I feel invigorated.

However, I also feel lonely, without you. You must know I feel the same way. My heart echoes with the same yearning you talk of. 

That being said, my love, I worry for you. 

How you spoke, in your last email...well, I hate to bring up something you have said several times is something you do not wish to pursue, but I worry. I worry because I love you. And because I love you, I want to help you, but I can’t, so I want to help you help yourself. This is my long winded way of suggesting that maybe now would be a good time, perhaps, to look into finding a therapist.

This is a conversation I wish we could have in person, but circumstances are a bit complicated right now, so all I ask of you is that you think about it. Please. For me.

Love,  
Achilles.

subject: Re: How I’m Doing  
from: Patroclus O. (patroclusopus@gmail.com)  
to: Achilles P. (achillespthia@gmail.com)

Achilles,

No need to apologize for any lateness. I expected as much, the moment you were asked to come onboard for that project, that timezones and connectivity would make communicating difficult. I understand and I know it isn’t your fault. I was the one who encouraged you to accept this project, afterall, and I am aware of what work does to us.

Speaking of work, you really haven’t lost your spark at all, have you? A whole month of nothing and I bet you’re still getting up everyday raring to trudge through the humidity of the rainforest. The younger cinematographers on your team are bound to get a crush on you, with your attitude. 

Please do not worry too much about me. I know your worry is because of your love, but at the same time, I want you to keep your head on your project. Whatever hardships I am going through, I will get through them, like I always do. 

That being said, I did think about the whole therapy thing again, and I really don’t think it will help me. What I need, I’ve learned, is what always kept me afloat all those years before I met you; a job.

And I may have just gotten one.

Do you remember Meerkat Manor? 

Well guess who’s going to be the cinematographer for the movie length reboot of it. 

Love,  
Patroclus.

4 more emails in this thread

-

Patroclus had met Achilles through _BBC Wildlife Specials_ back in the late 1990s. They were both young, both wildlife cinematographers, both excited beyond their minds to use the latest filming techniques in the trade to get footage nobody had ever seen before. Patroclus remembers the long days working together _Leopard: The Agent of Darkness_. He remembers how they had scanned through hours upon hours of infrared footage together, and Achilles—in a burst of excitement the moment they finally caught a glimpse of the legendary big cat—had hugged Patroclus so hard he had lifted him up and off of his feet. He remembers how his heart had felt in that moment, as if it had been reinvented completely and made in the image of light and warmth. 

Their coming together, after that, felt like coming home.

They got married in 2015, though Patroclus knew that he was for Achilles and Achilles was for him long before any ceremony. Still, waking up everyday with his husband next to him in bed and a golden band around his finger never ceased to make Patroclus smile every single time. 

In the industry, it became a little bit of an unspoken rule that neither of them would go very far for a project, but Patroclus knew that one day that unspoken rule would have to break. And it does. A month ago, just a few days after their wedding anniversary, Achilles had gotten a call from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology asking him to be a part of the opportunity of a lifetime; embark on a mission to film the Philippine Eagle. It was no question, for Patroclus. He knew Achilles was the best man for the job, so he encouraged him to take the job. 

A month passes. A month without Achilles, with only weekly emails to look forward to. A month where Patroclus told himself he would be alright. 

A month that is one of the hardest Patroclus has ever experienced in his life.

Not that it’s too much of a big deal. Depression has always been the shadow that nipped at his heels his entire life. For a long time, nobody cared about it, nobody cared that Patroclus would spend days in bed, nobody cared as long as he got his work done. 

Nobody cared until Achilles, and now Achilles is not here.

So when an old producer who he had worked for years before, Zeus Othonos, calls one day talking proud gibberish about his current project, Patroclus only half listens until he hears the phrases “our cinematographer has gotten injured” and “we’d be honored to have you on the team.”

Patroclus does not need to talk to somebody about the heaviness in his heart. What he needs is a job.

So he says yes. 

A week later, he’s in Karasburg Airport, Namibia, lugging his bags of gear and equipment through the airport terminal. Patroclus squints at his phone, looking at the picture Zeus had sent him. It’s a picture of a young man in an orange bandana smiling, and Zeus had not given Patroclus a name, he had just said that this was the man that would pick Patroclus up and drive him to the head of operations in Van Zylsrus. 

“Over here, boss!” Somebody calls out to him. Patroclus looks up from his phone and sees the man on his phone a few feet away, leaning on a jeep. He is holding a sign emblazoned OPUS COME HERE with one hand and enthusiastically waving with his other hand.

Patroclus walks over to him. “Hello, sorry if I made you wait—” 

“Don’t worry about it, you’re actually right on time, and I should know, I’m quite a stickler for punctuality and schedule,” He says quickly, extending a hand. “Hermes, at your service. Pleasure to meet you, mister award winning wildlife cinematographer!”

That makes Patroclus huff out a soft laugh. “You can just call me Patroclus.”

Hermes salutes. “Gotcha! Anyway, let’s get your stuff into the jeep so we can be on our way, yeah?”

Hermes and Patroclus make quick work of loading all Patroclus’ equipment into the back of the jeep. Once everything is in, Patroclus gets into the passenger seat while Hermes keys the ignition and starts driving. 

“So,” Hermes says after a few minutes of silence, the hot air rushing past them. “I bet Zeus hasn’t given you much information on the whole project, huh?”

“He sure hasn’t,” Patroclus says, watching the scenery pass by. “I’ve worked with him before, so I’m used to it. I figured I would just brief myself with everything once I met with the rest of the team.”

“Well, there’s no harm in a bit of a head start,” Hermes glances to Patroclus with a smile. “Here’s the rundown, then. We’ve been working with the Kalahari Meerkat Project on the Kuruman River Reserve for the past few months. We went into this project without much of a concept of what we were going to do with the movie, but then the workers at the reserve told us about this new meerkat clan they’ve named The Underworld—”

“The Underworld?” Patroclus raises an eyebrow.

“Whoever sees 'em, names 'em,” Hermes shrugs. “I think it’s pretty cool. Dramatic, and all that. Anyway, we decided the movie would follow this new clan, and for the past few months, that’s what our former cinematographer, Artemis, was doing. She already set up the mini infrareds into the clan’s burrows, so you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Basically what you have to do is continue her work, getting footage of The Underworld.”

“Seems simple enough,” Patroclus says. 

Hermes laughs. “Yeah, here’s the thing. The Underworld is a fascinating clan of meerkats, unlike any anybody’s ever seen before. Off the top of my head, they’re a pretty small clan and don’t seem to create more pups to remedy this, the power structure is odd because there are two dominant meerkats instead of one, and lastly, they’ve got Zagreus.”

“Zagreus?” 

“Yeah, Zagreus, one of the meerkats. Most interesting meerkat I’ve ever seen in my life,” Hermes tells him with a grin. “He was born a few months ago, just a little after we came, and ever since he matured, well. He’s basically made us a story worth making a whole movie about.”

“A single meerkat being that compelling has me skeptical, Hermes.”

“Tell ya what,” Hermes reaches into the jeep’s center console and pulls out his phone, opening it to what looks like a PDF. He hands the phone to Patroclus. “That’s what our writers have made thus far, based on the footage we’ve already gotten. Read that, then look at the footage when we get to Van Zylsrus. Make your judgements then, but _until_ then, keep an open mind.” Hermes glances over to Patroclus, a glint in his eye. “Wildlife never ceases to surprise us.”

That sentiment he agrees with, so Patroclus starts reading the script titled “Meerkat Manor: Escape from The Underworld” and—

Huh.

-

subject: Things Are Getting Exciting  
from: Achilles P. (achillespthia@gmail.com)  
to: Patroclus O. (patroclusopus@gmail.com)

Patroclus, 

By the time you get this email, you will have landed in Namibia and set up shop. I hope your flights were pleasant enough and also that the heat over there is somewhat kind to you. Like I said last time, I am glad that you found something to work on and I know that you will do an amazing job.

On my end of the business, I’ve actually some exciting news. A few days ago, we found our first nest! Two beautiful mated eagles, looking after a gorgeous egg. These past few days have been spent rigging a nearby tree, and when that was finished, there was only one thing to do. Sit down and start filming. I’m preaching to the choir right now, but god, Patroclus. They’re incredible creatures. Whenever I see one of them swoop to the sky with their huge wings, all I have is awe in my mind and a yearning in my heart. I wish you could see them. I guess it’ll be my job to make sure you do get to see them.

Enough about me, though, tell me how you’re settling in. How is the team? Have you begun filming? Is the world ready for a movie length reboot of Meerkat Manor shot by none other than Patroclus Opus himself? Do let me know. 

In the meantime, know that I am wishing you only gentler days on your mind and fulfilling work for your time. 

Love,  
Achilles.

subject: Re: Things Are Getting Exciting  
from: Patroclus O. (patroclusopus@gmail.com)  
to: Achilles P. (achillespthia@gmail.com)

Achilles,

My flights were as good as they possibly could have and the heat is no worse than what I’ve experienced in the past. Age must be getting to me though, because lugging around equipment feels like it’s gotten harder. Damn knees. 

Congratulations on finding a nest, my love! I can’t imagine how it must have felt like, to see them in before your very eyes. While I know how this work goes, I never was on a project focused on a critically endangered species. To see them must have been an honor, and I have no doubt that the footage you’ll get will do them justice.

Things over here are...interesting, at the very least. Though that description is merely the tip of the iceberg.

The team is quite good, Zeus’ usual people, it seems. As frustrating Zeus is as a producer, his team never fails to put out the best quality they can. I’ve been speaking quite a lot to Hermes. He’s the project coordinator/guy who runs around all the time making sure everything is going as it should be. He’s good kid, though he’s got a bit too much energy for me to keep up with him all the time. I haven’t interacted much with the Cambridge researchers, Athena and Ares, but between the two of them, I very much prefer talking to Athena. She’s less strangely intense, so to speak. Artemis is the cinematographer I’m filling in for, and she’s actually onsite every once in a while, cast over her entire foot be damned. The footage she took is phenomenal, and it makes me happy to know that the next generation of our line of work is filled with people like her. 

Aphrodite and Dionysus are the writers for the film. Strange, that they’re here already, but it seems that Artemis, after discussing with Athena and Ares, had asked them to be onsite as well to write the narrative for the film as she collected footage, for it was footage that baffled both her and the researchers, and everybody was curious as to how Aphrodite and Dionysus would spin the confusing reality into an entertaining story.

And let me tell you, the story is indeed that.

It seems that a few months ago, a meerkat (Zagreus) was born, and ever since he’s matured, he’s been routinely trying to escape his clan (The Underworld) and venturing out into the desert for reasons nobody knows yet. When I say routinely, I mean that he tries every week, each attempt taking days and ending in him inevitably getting injured, forcing him to return to his clan to recuperate. I thought the writers were bullshitting me at first, but then I reviewed the footage and corroborated the strange behavior with the researchers, and it’s all true. 

The researchers have said that Zagreus has recovered from his last escape attempt and that he’ll be embarking on his usual mysterious journey again soon and thus I’ll start filming tomorrow.

I’ll be sure to update you on how it goes, but until then, take care of yourself out there, okay? I hope those eagles give you something beautiful to capture.

Love,  
Patroclus

-

When Patroclus gets up that day, the first thing he feels is the spectre of an ache throughout his whole body. This is not exhaustion, the ache that comes with that is more real, more there. This is the blasted shadow that follows him everywhere he goes, blanketing itself over his mind, his heart, his soul. He has to give depression some credit; not even running off to a different continent can shake it off his tracks. 

It’s an oppressive heaviness weighing down on him. That’s how he always described it to Achilles. Patroclus would tell him that the heaviness was there everyday, but sometimes he could push it off while other times he couldn’t find it in himself to go to the trouble.

“Let me help,” Achilles would always say.

“I’m afraid this is my weight to carry,” Patroclus would always reply. 

And that would always be that.

Because that’s the truth. This is his weight to carry, nobody else’s, so despite the heaviness Patroclus feels, he gets out of bed. His bones creak, his head swims, but he pushes forward and keeps going.

That’s the only thing Patroclus really knows how to do, afterall.

Based on the footage Artemis had filmed these past few months, it seems the team is well stocked on the basic behaviors and relations of The Underworld like foraging, keeping watch, and burrow maintenance, so Patroclus needn’t spend too much time there. His job, it seems, is to slog his kit across the desert following a single strange meerkat; Zagreus.

Hermes drives him to the Kuruman River Reserve, quickly chattering on about schedules and other logistics Patroclus didn’t have to care about, and not unkindly, but Patroclus was looking forward to being alone in the Kalahari Desert. Athena and Ares made sure this was a requirement, of course. There must be close to no human interaction with the meerkats so as not to affect their behavior or stress them out, and while this is for the meerkats’ benefit, Patroclus gains something from it as well. A place where he can focus on work, a place where being alone is not a death sentence, a place where he can try to escape from the heaviness in his mind.

“Have fun, boss!” Hermes says when he drops Patroclus off. “I’ll pick you up later, try not to break your ankle like Artemis!”

And then he drives off, leaving Patroclus alone under the bright sun.

There, in the distance, Patroclus sees the Zagreus emerge from The Underworld. He stands, proud and strong, and then looks at Patroclus curiously for a moment. 

Zagreus tilts his head.

“Don’t mind me,” Patroclus tells Zagreus. “Just do whatever it is you do.”

Patroclus is not one to anthropomorphize the behavior of animals, but maybe the Aphrodite and Dionysus’ keen characterization of Zagreus has gotten into his mind, for Patroclus could have sworn that Zagreus nods mischievously before scuttling off.

“Alright,” Patroclus says. “Let’s get to work.”

Patroclus follows the strange meerkat into the desert, eyes ahead toward the horizon, his shadow no doubt following him every step of the way.

**Author's Note:**

> the philippine eagle documentary achilles is “working on” in this fic is implied to be Bird of Prey (2018). it is real and a gorgeous documentary, u should watch it!!! all the documentaries that are mentioned and will be mentioned are real, actually, except for Meerkat Manor: Escape from the Underworld. i WISH that existed….
> 
> meerkat megthanzag coming in the next chapter. also more of patroclus' depression boogaloo. fun times ahead!!!
> 
> im [actualbird](http://actualbird.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!!! i know i have another hades game fic wip and i'll get on that next i PROMISE JKSDFJS


End file.
